My particular research interests intersect two broad themes of politics: Religion and Politics, and Political Theory. Within that intersection, my current research focuses the influence and and/or alteration of Judaeo-Christian ideas on the history of political ideas. This can be seen through my current research:
Peer Reviewed Publications:
- Higgins N. and Djupe P. (2022) "Congregation Shopping During the Pandemic A Research Note" Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Higgins N. (2019) “Undermining Obligation to God: Hobbes’s Religious Rhetoric and False Forms of Obligation” Political Theology 20 (3), 224-242
- Higgins N. (2018) “Why Can’t We Be Friends: Hippothales and the Case of Plato’s Lysis” Political Science Reviewer 42:2 357-384
- Higgins N. (2017).” Bethlehemic Trilogy: Political Apology of the Davidic Kingship” Interpretation: A Journal of Political Philosophy 44:1 21-41
- Higgins N. (2016). “Hobbes’s Paradoxical Toleration: “inter regentes tolerantia, tolerans intolerantia in plebem”. Politics and Religion 9.1 139-161
- Higgins, N. (2016). “Achieving Human Perfection: Benjamin Franklin contra George Whitefield”. Journal of American Studies, 1-20.
- Higgins, N (2015) "Shame on You: The Virtuous Use of Shame in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics" Expositions 9.2 1-15
- Higgins, N (2014) "Religious influences on Latino ideology and vote choice: are Evangelical Catholics different?." Politics, Groups, and Identities 2, no. 3: 402-421.
Book Reviews
- “The Nones: Where they came from, who they are, and where they are going” by Ryan Burge. Review in Religious Studies Review 47:3 September 2021 390-391
- “The Bible in American Politics and Life: A Reference Guide” by J .Vile. Review in Religious Studies Review 47:2 June 2021 243.
- “Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father” by T. Kidd. Review in Fides et Historia 51:1 Winter/Spring 2019 187-188
- “Making Religion Safe for Democracy” by J.Judd. Owen. Review in Fides et Historia, 49:1 Winter/Spring 2017 142-144.
Encyclopedia Entries:
"Benjamin Franklin" Encyclopedia of The Atlantic World, 1400-1900: Europe, Africa, and the Americas in An Age of Exploration, Trade, and Empires. ed. David Head (2018)